Strength
by Alaylia
Summary: Alec offers his hand as well as his strength to Magnus during an epic battle—a completed version of a painfully incomplete scene from the end of City of Ashes. Written for Yuletide Fic Exchange.


_The first paragraph of this and the characters are the property of Cassandra Clare. I've simply finished this scene from the end of City of Ashes. Thanks to my beta Molly for helping out so I could make someone happy ;)_

"I have to fight," said Alec. "but that's what you're doing, isn't it? You're part of the fight just as much as the Shadowhunters on the ship--and I know you can take some of my strength, I've heard of warlocks doing that--so I'm offering. Take it. It's yours."

Magnus couldn't bring himself to trust his ears. It didn't seem possible. It must be the fatigue messing with his head. And his eyes must be in on the trickery as well, because he was almost sure he could see Alec's outstretched hand. He regarded it carefully. Small rivulets of water followed self made paths along his slender fingers before dripping off the tips. Alec was trembling and small bumps along his arm held testament to his dropping body temperature. Magnus wanted to take his hand just to offer him some warmth. He tentatively reached his fingertips out, but then something in Alec's eyes--a glint--made him pull his had back quickly. He held both of his hands in his lap to keep them from acting on their own again.

"Alec, I--" He started, but what was there to say? It would be a lie to say that he couldn't, because he most certainly could. It would be a lie to say that he didn't need it, because he had mere waking moments left. And it would be the deepest kind of blasphemy to say that he didn't want to, because he'd never wanted anything so badly in his entire existence. To take some of Alec into him--his strength--his power--his life--his essence...it would surely satiate some of the need. He swallowed hard around the lump that had found its way into this throat.

Alec scooted closer across the bed of the truck. "Magnus." He said lifting his outstretched hand and brushing the wet hair that was sticking in clumps across Magnus' face aside. His name on Alec's lips was like a remedy in itself, Magnus drew in a deep breath--eyes on Alec's. "Take. My. Hand." He reached down and grabbed Magnus' hand out of his lap. He held it tightly between both of his own.

Magnus let his gaze fall to their hands for a moment and then back up to Alec's blazing eyes. There was still river water dripping out of his hair and down his face; it moved slowly--meandering over his high cheek bones and down, changing its mind on its destination at the last moment and ending up trapped at the very corner of his mouth. He reached across the small distance between them and brushed the drop away with the pad of his thumb. It was Alec's turn to swallow, and Magnus' eyes fell once again to their hands.

Magnus curled his fingers--still encased in Alec's--letting just the tips trail up Alec's palm. His eyes fell closed, and as minimally as he possibly could, he drew from Alec. He immediately felt the effects; a sharp spark of energy traveled up his arm and disbursed itself throughout his body. As it settled, a small sigh escaped his open lips. Magnus opened his eyes slowly and was immediately caught in Alec's. Alec was breathing heavier than usual, but other than that he looked completely unaffected.

"More. Take more." Alec nearly whispered as he threaded his fingers with Magnus'.

"Alec, no...it's enough--I, I'm fine now." He attempted to pull his hand from Alec's grasp.

"Just," He tightened his grip on Magnus' hand, "a bit more."

Magnus slowly started shaking his head back and forth. He knew what would happen if he let himself take more--he'd done this before. The energy would go to his head...drug him until it had a chance to absorb. There was no telling what he'd do or say with Alec sitting right in front of him. "Alec--I can't, you don't underst--"

Alec pressed a cold finger against Magnus' lips, stilling them immediately. He was very close now; Magnus could smell him, wet and heady. His stomach thrilled at the added sense and he automatically closed his eyes again, effectively shutting off that sense. Alec took the hand he still held and brought it up to his own cold damp cheek. Magnus flattened his palm there, unable to find a reason not to. "Please, just a little more...so I know you'll be alright."

Magnus made his first mistake and opened his eyes once more. He was shocked to be greeted by something burning in Alec's eyes that he'd only ever seen as a flickering spark before. It was raw and hot and undeniably irresistible. Magnus made his second mistake and wondered only briefly why there was such intensity behind it. His third mistake? That came when rather than pulling back and putting more distance between them, he leaned in.

There wasn't a trace of hesitation before his lips met Alec's with a soft and even pressure. Alec was completely still and Magnus had no way of knowing what he was thinking. He did as Alec had demanded of him then, and took more strength from him. Magnus felt it thrum through his veins and reverberate down his spine; the life he was pulling from Alec. He drew on Alec's upper lip for just a moment longer before pulling back far enough to see his face. The other boy's eyes had fallen closed and his lips were still parted marginally. Magnus gently ran the thumb of the hand Alec still held to his face across Alec's closed eyelid.

"Alec," he whispered, "are you alright?"

Alec nodded slightly without opening his eyes, and then Magnus watched as he wet his bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. Slowly, Alec moved Magnus' hand from his cheek down and around to the back of his neck. Magnus caught his breath in his throat and couldn't remember how to get it started again. He was still riding the high from taking Shadowhunter energy into himself; his thoughts were clouded and euphoric...right and wrong, good and bad, yes and no...they were all just theory now. Thought in general mattered very little to him...sensation, however, was of the utmost importance.

Alec slid his hand up Magnus' arm and placed his it on the back of his neck, mirroring the boy he still wasn't looking at. Magnus was sure that his heart, which had been hammering away in his chest only moments before, completely halted when Alec put a gentle pressure on the back of his neck. The only thing he was completely aware of in that second was the shallow breath that Alec drew in before he pressed his lips against his once more.

Alec didn't seem to have trouble responding this time; he moved his lips against Magnus' with purpose--yet he was still tentative and hesitant. Magnus groaned deep in his chest and his own eyes fell shut. Every cell of his being rejoiced, completely ready to die happy...everything in him, around him, of him was Alec--and it was suddenly clear that this boy, this lonely and confused Shadowhunter, was all he'd ever needed. His fingers tangled in the dark wet hair that hung limply around the nape of the other boy's neck. He held on tight; finally in possession of something that finally felt real after hundreds of years, he was unwilling to let it go.

Magnus needed more; the slow cadenced dance of the unsure was no longer enough for him. He ran his tongue up the peak of Alec's upper lip before drawing it into his mouth and sucking gently. Alec made a sharp sound in the back of his throat and opened his mouth, willing in that moment to give Magnus anything so long as he didn't stop. When Magnus pressed his tongue against the other boys, he was rewarded with more contact. Alec was immediately on his knees, chest pressed into his as much as he could. Magnus still lacked the strength to hold his own against the force of the Shadowhunter, he fell back, taking Alec right along with him.

Alec's cold body pressed into his from shoulder to knee, and the contact was divine. Alec shivered then and much as he'd like to believe otherwise, Magnus was sure it wasn't just from the kiss they were still sharing. His body was cold, temperature probably still dropping...Alec's previous injuries suddenly made their way to the forefront of Magnus' mind. He remembered watching the boy fall into the river, he remembered jumping in and pulling him out, he remembered sitting by waiting for him to regain consciousness. Alec had hit his head--Alec was hurt...and he had taken from him, was still taking. He drew back from the other boy with a gasp and turned his head to the side when Alec tried to protest.

"You're hurt." Magnus said quietly.

Alec pressed his cool lips to the hollow at the base of his throat, "I'm fine." He mumbled.

Magnus took his hands from the other boy's hair and placed them both on his cheeks, holding him several inches from his own face. "You're hurt...let me help you."

Alec looked deep into his gold flecked eyes, swallowed, and then nodded as much as he could. Magnus closed his eyes and concentrated. It wouldn't take much, he was positively buzzing with magic now. He focused on the boy's injuries and body temperature, warming and healing him from the inside out. When he was finished he pulled Alec's face back down to his own, and let his fingertips roam down to his back, now very warm. Their kisses were languid and slow, yet deep and searching. Magnus let his hands roam all the way down to the bottom of Alec's soaked shirt, and once he'd made it there his fingers quickly found their way underneath. The smooth expanse of his back was more than Magnus had been expecting; the marble planes across his shoulders gave way gracefully to a smooth curve at the small of his back. Magnus let his fingertips venture under waist of the Shadowhunter's pants, his own back curving so he could press himself upwards.

The contact was celestial and Alec must have agreed, because he pressed back, drawing it out. Magnus couldn't hold his head up anymore and let it fall back down to the bed of the truck, and Alec used the opportunity to return to his neck. When Magnus opened his eyes, he caught sight of the ship where a different kind of battle still raged. "Ale--" he tried but Alec chose that moment to use his teeth against the sensitive skin just under his ear and the word was buried under a low whine. "Alec?" he tried again. Alec took his earlobe between his lips in response. "Ung...Alec," He breathed, "I thought...you h--had to get...unn, to get back? To fight?"

"What?" He whispered against his ear, still tasting Magnus' skin where he could.

Magnus pushed on his chest, forcing space between the two. "I thought," he panted, "that you needed to get back to the ship? You have to help."

Alec stared back at him with a mystified expression on his face. Magnus could see the realization slowly make its way across his features. Alec's eyes got wide, and he scrambled backwards off of the warlock. "I'm--I'm sorry...I didn't, I mean I hadn't--" Magnus put his finger against Alec's lips, the same as Alec had done to him earlier, effectively cutting off his muttering.

"No excuses, Alec." His eyes blazed and he was sure Alec saw the meaning behind his words. "Go do what you have to do, then come back and we'll talk. Okay?" Alec didn't speak, he simply nodded his concurrence. Magnus took his finger from his lips then and pressed one more lingering kiss there. "Thanks." He whispered against the Shadowhunter's lips, "For everything...Thank you."


End file.
